Becoming an Iron Girl.

I am starting this journal because I am coming to Primal from Atkins and really enjoyed the Atkins Diet Bulletin Board for support. When I first started my career I gained 70 lbs. and completely stopped working out. Three years ago I said enough and started to "diet," first with delivered pre-made foods, then with weight watchers, then Atkins. I went from about 270 lbs. to 225 lbs., but I've been plateaued for almost two years. After getting cancer--TWICE--last year, I started reading a lot of studies and books (Gary Taubes is one of my favorites), and all signs seemed to point to Primal/Paleo. So here I am, fully committed to starving my cancer cells and feeding my healthy cells. My most immediate goal is to get my waist circumference down below 35" because I understand that this visceral fat is one of my biggest health risk factors. But in the long term, I want to just be extremely healthy--I want to never have to be in the hospital again if there is any way I can possibly help it. Surgery sucks. Being sick sucks. Being healthy is awesome. And I want to see my muscles, which I used to be able to do when I was about 185 lbs., but I'm trying not to focus on the scale at all and instead focus on inches and muscles. It has not been that hard.

What is strange is how much I love to work out, yet how easily I let that slip away with the stress of my career. I had plenty of time to watch TV when I got home from work, but for some reason never understood that I could just as easily make time for exercise. Now I'm enrolled in a local CrossFit affiliate program, and I can't wait to see my strength increase. I also walk my dog twice a day now instead of paying someone else to do it. On the weekends, my husband and I hike and I'm going to incorporate sprints on those hikes (and on some of the dog walks--even shih tzus love to run!).

I've been eating Primal since Friday. I feel amazing in the sense that I am not obsessing about food in between meals. When mealtime comes, I eat protein and veggies cooked in fat, and that's that. It's amazing to have this huge mess of questions surrounding what to eat, how many calories, how often, answered with a simple: Eat meat, veggies and fat, and sometimes fruit, when you're hungry. That's it. So nice!

My most immediate goal is to get my waist circumference down below 35" because I understand that this visceral fat is one of my biggest health risk factors.... So that's it, welcome to my journal, I welcome you

Welcome to you!I love this goal! I'd like to add it to my list (one is to fit in an airline seat with some space between the armrests and my thighs!), because this goal is very smart!!

"Just give me all the bacon and eggs you have. Wait, wait. I'm worried what you just heard was, 'Give me a lot of bacon and eggs.' What I said was, 'Give me all the bacon and eggs you have'. Do you understand?" - Ron Swanson

Thank you, desertcreature!! I know what you mean--I've lost 9" off my waist so far, and it definitely made a difference on airline seats! It's been easy in my experience to focus on weight, the number on the scale is such a huge focus for people, but I just finished reading The Paleo Coach and its author, Jason Seib, said something SO true that just hit it home for me: when people look at you, can they tell if they think you are healthy or not, even though they don't have access to your weight? When I met my husband, he didn't look at me and then *withhold judgment* on whether or not he was attracted to me until he could determine the effect of gravity acting on my body when standing on a scale! Also, my weight has absolutely nothing to do with my health (as seen in the fact that atheletes often have "obese" BMIs even though they are super muscular and fit). So I am definitely focused on things like my waist (visceral fat), my energy levels, how much I can lift, and when I'll finally be able to do a pull up/chin up!

Down to 40.5" on the waist and its end of week 1!! I start my CrossFit classes next week and I can't wait to start seeing some muscle

I was reading through paleobird's early journal and it made me want rooibus, so I bought some to drink throughout the day. Tonight I have an Intro to CrossFit class and this AM I'm doing low level walking with my lil rescue shih tzu. Here's my food plan:

3 eggs, spinach and 4 slices bacon (I would have more eggs but I'm down to 3 need to go food shopping)
Rooibus tea, pistachios if hungry
Steak, mushrooms and guacamole

Hi Irongirl,
Yes rooibos is awesome. Lately I've been alternating between that and Teeccino. They have a grain free blend now with roasted dandelion roots. You get zero caffeine but you actually get a lot of nutrients instead. Check out their website.

I think focusing on measurements is a good way to keep from stressing and you are very right about visceral fat being a "leading indicator" of health or lack thereof.

Yep, there is nothing like a brush with mortality to give you the kick in the rear to shape up. Survival is a much stronger motivator than vanity could ever be.

I wish you well. Get some "before" pictures because I am predicting you are going to need them to go with your amazing "after" photos on your Friday Success Story feature.

Robin, I have the befores and they are thoroughly embarrassing. I plan to take pics once a month because its too easy for me to get used to my body and not notice the changes until I see the stark difference over a course of time.

The rooibus was divine, so happy I found that!

Yesterday was my first day trying to go by hunger instead of "time to eat," and while I was actually hungry for lunch, I was only slightly hungry for dinner and so had about a third of what I normally have. But even that was too much when it came time for my CrossFit workout. It was the first workout in my LIFE (and I was an aerobics instructor/personal trainer all through senior year of high school to end of college) that I worked out to the near-puking stage. It was by far the most intensity I've ever achieved in a workout. And I wasn't hungry after at all, so no need to snack before bed like I usually do. I'm really looking forward to seeing how far I can take my body with these workouts and more intuitive eating (meaning no more "I need to eat three meals a day and two snacks because that's how life works"). I read through all 512 pages of the befores and afters on this forum and I am so inspired! Not that I needed any more motivation--I'm completely motivated and loving the food I get to eat, the pride I experience in taking such good care of myself, and the fun of the total challenge and supportive community of CrossFit and this forum. Can't stop me! Fitness FTW!

That is an awesome article, thank you so much! I see what you meant now when you said to ditch the chicken and go for red meat or fish. I got some awesome smoked salmon at Whole Foods today and I can't wait to have it with my stone ground mustard for breakfast after my 9 AM rowing workout at my CrossFit studio. And I got some lamb and buffalo burgers for the freezer for later in the week.

I love how the article talks about us as predictors and says that as you eat enough meat you become less weak and "more dangerous." Something about that resonates...

Great weekend. Went for my rowing workout at my CrossFit gym on Saturday with nothing but my first bulletproof coffee in lieu of breakfast, and my meals are getting much smaller. I still get hungry for three meals but the daily calories are naturally lowering. First "elements" class at CrossFit tomorrow at 6:15 AM, I hope it doesn't make me too tired for the rest of my day. Going to try to make it a 3x per week part of my life.

My sleep has significantly improved this week. I am finally getting that "sleep like a rock" benefit all the more seasoned paleophiles rave about. Woot!